Survey reveals the ideal time to book flight tickets to maximise savings

The textbook trick to save money while booking flight tickets is to plan your trip in advance and make the seat reservations months in advance, but how many months?

An independent study, conducted by online travel portal Skyscanner, has revealed the ideal time that would maximise savings while booking air tickets. As per the survey, making the bookings precisely 24 weeks before the trip is the best time to make maximum savings.

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The study undertook two years' worth of data from over 50 million monthly Indian users travelling to the top destinations across the world, after which it picked the Best Time to Book (BTTB) travel.

"A meaty 31 per cent of respondents assume booking more than 12 weeks in advance is the best time to book flights. 11 per cent feel that booking last minute is the key to getting a good deal. But, Skyscanner's data analysis shows booking 24 weeks prior to departure is the ideal time to book tickets," the study noted.

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The survey says that bookings tickets to Bali and Kuala Lumpur, popular tourist destinations for Indians, can be the most financially beneficial if done 25 weeks before the trip.

For Amsterdam, the best time to book tickets was 24 weeks in advance, while for Madrid, it would be 15 weeks in advance.

It’s surprising how nearly three-quarters of Indian travellers do not know these tricks, thus wasting their money by leaving booking until the last minute.